All Realms and Worlds: The Lost Home

Inside the cave, the atmosphere was extremely tense. The team members gripped their weapons tightly and built a temporary defensive line against the boulders at the cave entrance. The sounds of the Keloyan race's frantic attacks filled the air. The boulders trembled, and gravel fell in a flurry, making it seem as if the cave could be breached at any moment.

Looking at the tense atmosphere around them and listening to the increasingly loud roars outside, Ye Fan couldn't help but frown. His tone was somewhat exasperated as he said, "Can't we just leave through the Star Gate first...? Why do we have to hold out here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cave fell into a deathly silence. An awkward atmosphere spread like a tide. The team members stopped what they were doing, turned to look at Ye Fan, and showed some embarrassment and annoyance on their faces.

They were being hunted down by the Keloya race and had nowhere to run. Their minds were filled with determination to defend themselves and fight back, and they had completely forgotten about the star gate that Ye Fan had mentioned earlier—that was a potential escape route!

Captain Han Mo was also stunned for a moment, then came to his senses. A hint of approval and regret flashed in his eyes. He approved of Ye Fan's calmness, but regretted that he had only focused on fighting and ignored this chance of survival.

The sounds of impact outside grew increasingly violent. A piece of rubble landed at Han Mo's feet. He immediately snapped back to reality, and without hesitation, ordered in a deep voice, "Everyone, cease defenses and prepare to pass through the stargate!"

"Yes, Captain!" The team members responded immediately, their faces showing a long-lost hope. They put away their weapons, helped their injured teammates, and quickly followed Han Mo into the cave.

Ye Fan brought up the rear, cautiously observing the movements behind him while urging the others, "Hurry! The Keloyan race will break through the cave entrance soon; we must get to the pool as quickly as possible!"

The group traveled quickly and soon arrived at the edge of the pool. The pool remained calm, and the star gate deep underwater emitted a faint blue light. The energy fluctuations were gentle, showing no signs of abnormality.

"Everyone, jump into the pool immediately and follow me!" Han Mo took the lead and leaped into the icy water, splashing water everywhere. He swam quickly towards the star gate in the center of the pool, his power armor operating in the water, creating a trail.

The team members followed closely behind, jumping into the water to help their injured teammates and swimming towards the star gate with all their might. The icy lake water soaked their wounds, causing excruciating pain, but no one dared to slow down.

Ye Fan was the last to jump into the water. He didn't have a power suit and could only swim by his own strength. The coldness of the lake water made him shiver, and his wounds ached slightly, but he still gritted his teeth and quickly caught up with the others.

A moment later, Han Mo arrived near the star gate first. He reached out and touched the patterns on the surface of the star gate, but the star gate did not react at all. The pale blue light was still weak, there was no suction force as before, and the teleportation channel did not open.

Immediately afterwards, another team member swam over and tried to touch the stargate, but the stargate remained unmoved, as if it had turned into an ordinary rock and lost all energy fluctuations.

"Report to the captain! The stargate is not responding and cannot be activated!" The team member reported to Han Mo in a deep voice through the local communication, his tone full of anxiety and disappointment.

Han Mo frowned and tried repeatedly to activate the Star Gate, his fingertips constantly touching the patterns on the Star Gate, but the Star Gate remained unresponsive. His expression gradually turned grim—could it be that the Star Gate could only be used once?

Just as everyone was in despair, Ye Fan slowly swam over. The moment his body approached the star gate, the star gate suddenly trembled violently, and the pale blue light surged instantly, illuminating the entire underwater world with dazzling light.

A familiar suction force erupted once again from the center of the star gate, pulling at Ye Fan's body, just like the scene when he was sucked in before.

"The stargate is reacting!" Upon seeing this, the team members' faces lit up with joy. They immediately moved closer to the stargate, hoping to use the suction force to pass through it and escape from here.

But when they approached the stargate, the suction suddenly disappeared, and the stargate's light gradually dimmed, returning to its previous state. No matter how they tried, they could not be sucked in, nor could they even activate the stargate's slightest fluctuation.

"What's going on? Why does the stargate only react when he gets close?" A team member asked, his face full of confusion and despair.

Han Mo stared at the Star Gate, then glanced at Ye Fan beside him, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He then quickly opened his personal terminal, retrieved the records about the Star Gate from the database, and began to browse through them rapidly.

After a moment, Han Mo stopped operating and said to everyone with a solemn expression, "This should be a special star gate. Only the first person to activate it can use it; others cannot use it to teleport."

He paused, then added, "This is exactly the same as the ancient single-person teleportation portal recorded in the database. Once activated and used by the first person, no one else can trigger the teleportation mechanism if they get close, unless the stargate is recharged or a special activation method is found."

Upon hearing this, the joy on everyone's faces vanished instantly, replaced by despair—meaning that only Ye Fan could leave through the Star Gate, while all of them would have to remain where they were, continuing to face the pursuit of the Keloya race.

"Damn it! Are we just supposed to wait here to die?" one of the team members couldn't help but growl, his voice filled with resentment. He didn't want to die; he wanted to return to the legion and continue fighting the aliens.

Han Mo took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and said in a deep voice to everyone, "Don't panic! Now that things have come to this, we must make a choice. Ye Fan's ability to leave is our hope. If he can bring a message back to the legion and request reinforcements, we still have a chance to be rescued!"

After saying that, he winked at Ye Fan and swam towards the surface first: "Everyone, get back to shore first, then we'll discuss our strategy!"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Despite their despair, they could only follow Han Mo and swim towards the surface of the water. Ye Fan followed at the back, watching the lonely figures of the others, feeling a mix of emotions—he could leave, but his compatriots had to remain in this desperate situation.

A moment later, everyone came ashore one after another, soaked to the bone. A gust of cold wind made them shiver. The injured team members looked even paler and their breathing became even weaker.

Han Mo walked up to Ye Fan, staring intently at him with a solemn expression. He slowly raised his hand, took off the personal mobile terminal bracelet from his wrist, and handed it to Ye Fan.

"Logistics soldier Ye Fan!" Han Mo's voice was deep and firm, carrying an undeniable authority. "I am Captain Han Mo, the captain of the 7th Squadron of the 2nd Legion's Special Mobile Force. I am assigning you an urgent mission!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan immediately straightened his posture, gave Han Mo a solemn military salute, and said firmly, "Logistics soldier Ye Fan received! Please issue orders, Captain!"

"Take my personal mobile terminal bracelet back and hand it to Commander Su Lan, the Legion Commander!" Han Mo shoved the bracelet into Ye Fan's hand, his eyes filled with terrifying solemnity. "The bracelet contains crucial intelligence we've gathered about the movements of the Keloa reinforcements, the deployment of the Star River Federation fleet, and the ability of the Apola race to block signals. This intelligence is crucial to the success or failure of the entire battle!"

Ye Fan gripped the bracelet tightly; it was icy cold to the touch. He could feel the weight of this mission. He saluted again, his tone resolute: "Please rest assured, Captain! I will do everything in my power to personally deliver the bracelet to Commander Su Lan. I will not fail this mission!"

Han Mo nodded, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. Then, he turned to his team members and ordered in a deep voice, "Immediately find Ye Fan a complete set of power armor, debug all functions, and have him wear it through the stargate!"

"Yes, Captain!" A team member responded immediately, quickly taking out a brand-new set of special mobile force power armor from the supply box he was carrying. This set of power armor was the team's spare equipment and had never been used, so it was in perfect condition.

The team members immediately surrounded Ye Fan and quickly helped him put on his power armor. They skillfully operated the armor's life support, defense, and communication systems with swift and precise movements.

Ye Fan stood there, letting his teammates put power armor on him. His gaze swept over Han Mo and the other team members, and seeing the determination and reluctance on their faces, his heart ached. These compatriots, knowing that they were doomed to die, still chose to hold on and placed their hopes on him.

"Power armor fully tested, life support system functioning normally, defense system activated, communication system temporarily unavailable (signal blocked)!" A moment later, the team members finished testing and reported to Han Mo.

Han Mo walked up to Ye Fan, patted him on the shoulder, and said in a heavy tone, "Go! Leave this to us. We'll do our best to buy time for you and for the legion's reinforcements!"

"Captain! Team members!" Ye Fan looked at everyone, his eyes slightly red, his tone firm, "When I get back, I will immediately request reinforcements, I will definitely come back to save you!"

"Don't worry about us, completing the mission is the most important thing!" Han Mo waved his hand, a resolute glint in his eyes. "Remember, even if we sacrifice ourselves, you must deliver the intelligence, completely crush the aliens, and avenge us!"

The other team members chimed in, their voices firm: "Ye Fan, go! We believe in you!"

Ye Fan nodded vigorously, saying nothing more. He knew that at this moment, any words would seem pale and powerless. Only by completing the mission and bringing reinforcements as soon as possible could he repay these compatriots.

He turned around, leaped into the icy pool again, and without hesitation swam quickly toward the stargate deep underwater. His power armor moved nimbly in the water, moving at an extremely fast speed.

Han Mo and his team stood on the shore, their eyes fixed on the water, watching Ye Fan's figure gradually disappear into the water. A resolute expression appeared on everyone's face - they knew that their death might not be far away, but they had no regrets. As long as they could buy an opportunity for the legion and defeat the alien species, even if they sacrificed themselves, it would be worth it.

"Everyone, return to the cave and rebuild the defenses. Even if we die, we must wear down more of the Keloya!" Han Mo ordered in a deep voice, his tone resolute. Then, he led his team back to the cave to prepare for the upcoming fierce battle.

Deep within the pool, Ye Fan had already reached the vicinity of the Star Gate. The moment he approached the Star Gate, it trembled violently once again, its pale blue light surging, and a powerful suction instantly enveloped him.

This time, with the protection of the power armor, the tearing sensation caused by the spatial distortion was greatly reduced, and Ye Fan did not lose consciousness again. He tightly gripped his personal terminal bracelet, closed his eyes, and let the stargate devour him. He had only one thought in his mind—to return to the Human Alliance defense line as soon as possible, hand over the intelligence to Commander Su Lan, and request reinforcements!

The light of the star gate grew brighter and brighter, and the spatial fluctuations became more and more intense. Ye Fan's figure was gradually swallowed up by the twisted darkness in the center of the star gate. After a slight dizziness, his figure completely disappeared into the star gate. The tremors of the star gate gradually subsided, and the light returned to normal, sinking back into the depths of the pool.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Fan felt the suction force on his body disappear and the dizziness gradually subsided. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a familiar cave—the very place where he had first discovered the Star Gate, the hidden cave near the Human Alliance stronghold.

He was successfully teleported back! Back to the outer planet of the Shelloa race, outside the defensive perimeter established by the Human Alliance warriors!

Ye Fan was overjoyed. He immediately stood up, stretched his body, and found that his power armor was functioning normally and his personal terminal bracelet was intact. He quickly walked towards the entrance of the cave, his steps urgent—he had to find the Human Alliance soldiers as soon as possible and meet Commander Su Lan.

As he stepped out of the cave entrance, several cold gun barrels were instantly pointed at him. At the same time, a series of hurried footsteps approached, and more than a dozen Human Alliance soldiers quickly surrounded him, their expressions wary and their eyes sharp as knives, staring intently at the Special Mobility Force power armor he was wearing.

Behind these soldiers were several researchers in white coats, who were exploring the entrance to the cave. They had obviously received the distress message sent by Ye Fan and were searching for traces of the star gate.

"Don't move! State your identity!" a soldier shouted in a deep voice, his tone icy, his finger tightly gripping the trigger. He would fire immediately if Ye Fan made the slightest move.

Ye Fan immediately stopped in his tracks, making no move whatsoever. He slowly raised his hand to indicate that he meant no harm, and at the same time, through the communicator in his power armor, he loudly proclaimed, "I am Ye Fan, a logistics soldier in the third squadron of the Titan-class destroyers of the Second Legion!"

His voice was firm, carrying an undeniable solemnity: "I am acting on orders from Captain Han Mo, captain of the 7th Squad of the 2nd Legion's Special Mobile Force, to deliver urgent intelligence. He needs to see Legion Commander Su Lan immediately! I have the authorization code!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers surrounding him relaxed slightly, exchanged glances, but their eyes remained wary—the special mobile force was indeed equipped with power armor, but at this critical moment, they had to be careful of any potential traps.

The captain of the guard unit strode forward. Dressed in a captain's uniform, he stared intently at Ye Fan and asked in a deep voice, "What is the authorization code? What is Captain Han Mo's serial number?"

Ye Fan immediately gave out the authorization code and Captain Han Mo's unique identification number—information that Han Mo had specifically provided to him before his departure, for the purpose of verifying his identity.

The captain quickly took out his personal terminal, checked the authorization code and serial number, and after a moment, the terminal displayed correct information. The wariness on his face gradually faded, and he immediately put away his weapon and saluted Ye Fan: "I apologize for any offense!"

"It's alright, the situation is urgent, take me to see Commander Su Lan immediately!" Ye Fan said hastily, "Captain Han Mo and the others are still trapped on the homeworld of the Keloa race, I have important intelligence to deliver to the Legion Commander!"

"Yes, sir!" the captain responded immediately, not daring to delay in the slightest. "I have already reported to my superiors. I will take you to the temporary command post now, where you can communicate directly with Commander Su Lan!"

After speaking, the captain gave a few instructions to the soldiers beside him, telling them to continue to stand guard and protect the safety of the researchers. Then, he personally led Ye Fan and walked quickly toward the temporary command post not far away.

The temporary command post was set up in a reinforced bunker, which was filled with communication equipment and monitoring screens. Several communications soldiers were busy operating the equipment, trying to contact the lost squad. The atmosphere was heavy and tense.

Ye Fan followed the captain into the command post. The captain immediately gave a stern order to a communications officer: "Immediately establish communication with the Titan-class carrier. Prioritize connecting to Commander Su Lan's channel and tell her that Ye Fan has urgent intelligence from Han Mo's team and requests to speak!"

"Yes, sir!" The communications soldier responded immediately, quickly operating the equipment. His fingers flew across the keyboard, and the signal on the screen kept changing as he began to try to connect to Su Lan's communication channel.

Meanwhile, in the command center of the Titan-class carrier, far outside the Shelllo Nebula, Su Lan stood in front of the holographic screen, staring intently at the adjudication protocol warship and the still normal vital signs of the elite squad on the screen, her anxiety growing stronger.

The communications soldier repeatedly tried to contact the elite squad, but could not get through. The signal was completely blocked. Yao Guang was also trying his best to break the signal blockade, but made no progress.

"Commander, we still can't contact the elite squad. The signal jamming is much stronger than we expected, and we can't crack it at all!" The communications officer's voice was full of panic as he quickly reported to his superior.

Su Lan's face grew increasingly grim. She stared intently at the screen, a sense of foreboding washing over her—the elite team must have encountered an accident, but their vital signs were normal, making it impossible for her to determine the specifics. She could only anxiously wait.

Just then, a communications soldier rushed forward, his voice urgent and excited: "Reporting, Commander! The temporary command post has sent a communication request, saying that a soldier named Ye Fan, carrying urgent intelligence from Captain Han Mo of the 7th Special Mobile Squad, requests to speak with you immediately!"

"Ye Fan? Han Mo's team?" Upon hearing this, Su Lan's pupils contracted sharply, and her expression changed instantly—Han Mo's team was the elite team she had dispatched.

"Connect the communications immediately! Quickly!" Su Lan shouted to the communications officer in a deep voice, her tone full of urgency, even with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor—this might be the key to breaking the current predicament and the hope of finding the elite team!

"Yes!" The communications officer responded immediately, quickly operating the equipment. The next second, Ye Fan's figure in power armor appeared on the holographic screen.

Upon seeing Su Lan on the screen, Ye Fan immediately straightened his posture, gave a solemn military salute, and reported, "Reporting to the Legion Commander, Ye Fan, a logistics soldier of the Second Legion, is here by order..."

"Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point!" Su Lan interrupted him, her tone urgent, her eyes sharp as she stared at him. "What intelligence did you bring? Where is the elite team now?"

Su Lan's tone carried an undeniable authority, along with a hint of barely concealed anxiety—her biggest concern right now was the safety of the two teams, and how to break the signal jamming and deal with the ruling agreement.

"Yes!" Ye Fan responded immediately, not daring to delay for a moment, and quickly said, "I unexpectedly discovered a single-person stargate. After passing through the stargate, I found Captain Han Mo's Seventh Squad deep within the home planet of the Keloyan race. They are being hunted down by the Keloyan race and are out of ammunition and supplies!"

"Captain Han Mo entrusted me with bringing back his personal terminal bracelet and handing it over to you."

He paused, then added, "That stargate is an ancient single-person teleportation portal. Only the first person to activate it can use it; others cannot pass through. The members of Han Mo's team chose to stay behind and cover our retreat in order to buy me time!"

After Ye Fan finished speaking, he placed Han Mo's personal terminal bracelet in front of the communication device so that Su Lan could see it clearly.

Looking at the bracelet on the screen and listening to Ye Fan's report, Su Lan's heart sank—she instantly realized that Han Mo's team was probably doomed. Since the single-person star gate could not be reused, they simply couldn't hold on.

Furthermore, the Apola race can block signals, which explains why communications were interrupted, the annihilation bombs could not be activated, and why there was no news from the elite squad for so long.

Before Su Lan could speak, Ye Fan spoke again, his tone firm and his eyes filled with determination: "Reporting to the Commander, I have brought back Captain Han Mo's personal terminal bracelet and request a brand new power suit! I need to go back through the stargate to support Captain Han Mo!"

Looking into Ye Fan's determined eyes, Su Lan remained silent for a moment before asking in a heavy tone, "Do you know you'll die? The home planet of the Keloa race is now teeming with alien species, and there's also the Star River Federation's fleet. Going back would be like walking into a trap. Even with power armor, you might not come back alive."

"Reporting to the Legion Commander! I know!" Ye Fan's tone remained firm, without the slightest hesitation. "But Captain Han Mo and the others are still holding their ground. I can't just stand by and watch them sacrifice themselves!"

"If I encounter any danger I can't handle, I'll immediately return through the stargate. I'll never recklessly throw my life away. My sister is waiting for me, and I'll make sure I bring back as much information as possible!"

Su Lan stared into Ye Fan's eyes, seeing the determination and resolve in them, and was deeply moved—this young logistics soldier, though inexperienced, possessed courage and a sense of responsibility far beyond that of ordinary people.

She knew that now was not the time to hesitate. The intelligence from Han Mo's team was crucial and affected the course of the battle. Ye Fan might be the only one who could once again enter the home planet of the Keloya people to investigate the situation.

Su Lan turned to her assistant and ordered in a deep voice, "Immediately contact Yao Guang and tell him there's an urgent mission for him! Also, arrange for a warship to take Ye Fan to Yao Guang's flagship and escort him throughout the journey. No mistakes are allowed!"

"Yes, Commander!" the assistant responded immediately, quickly turning around to carry out the order.

Su Lan looked at Ye Fan on the screen again, her tone solemn: "Ye Fan, I grant your request. I will equip you with the most advanced power armor and weapons. You must be careful, prioritize your own safety, bring back as much intelligence as possible to support Han Mo's team's mission, and do what you can, don't push yourself!"

"Rest assured, Commander! I will definitely complete the mission!" Ye Fan saluted again, his tone resolute.

Su Lan nodded, said nothing more, and hung up the communication. Then, she immediately reconnected with Yao Guang, her tone firm and carrying an unquestionable command.

"Yaoguang, I need your institute's latest research—the Red-Maned Steed Power Armor. Prepare it immediately!"

"Later, I will send a soldier named Ye Fan over. You will personally equip him with the Red-Maned Steed Armor and all available advanced weapons. Do not hold back anything!"

Upon hearing this, Yao Guang's pupils contracted sharply, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face: "Red-Maned Steed? That's a battle armor still in its final testing phase, extremely powerful, and not yet officially deployed. Are you sure you want to equip a logistics soldier with it?"

"I'm sure!" Su Lan's tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation. "The situation is urgent. Ye Fan needs to re-enter the homeworld of the Keloyan race with his battle armor to bring back crucial intelligence. Only the Red-Maned Steed can provide him with sufficient protection and combat power!"

She paused, then added, "Furthermore, immediately prepare the Starspear-class warships, with all personnel on standby, ready to engage in battle at any moment. Once Ye Fan sends a message, we will immediately break through the signal jamming, launch a general offensive, crush the alien fleet, and rescue the trapped squad!"

"Understood!" Yao Guang replied firmly without hesitation. "I will immediately arrange for the research institute to prepare. The Crimson Steed Armor is ready to be equipped at any time, and the Star Spear-class warships will be on standby quickly. The mission will not be delayed!"

After hanging up the communication, Su Lan stood in the command cabin, looking at the Keloya star field on the holographic screen with a determined look in her eyes—she couldn't afford to gamble, and she couldn't afford to lose. Ye Fan was not only the key to transmitting intelligence, but also the only hope to rescue the two teams and break the current predicament.

Inside the temporary command post, Ye Fan had already boarded the transport ship bound for the Yao Guang flagship, accompanied by the guard captain.